john-brennan
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Vancouver Island B.C.
I find WWLR primers as hot as anything and have had no problems ever.
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ignition problems with my hand loads.
- Thread starter Efall
- Start date
After reading all the great info on this thread I decided to measure the the amount of varget powder from the scoop and it is 43.3gr. This is a bit lighter than the starting load listed in the Lyman handbook. This combined with not applying a crimp is probably my issue.
I will try 44.5gr of powder as well as a crimp with the next batch and hopefully it fixes the issue.
Thanks everyone who took the time to respond.
I will try 44.5gr of powder as well as a crimp with the next batch and hopefully it fixes the issue.
Thanks everyone who took the time to respond.
The best investment I made in over 47 years of reloading was a RCBS Chargemaster for speed and accuracy. No more scoops, thrown charges or straining my bifocals trying to read the pointer on the scale. Just big digital numbers and check weights to verify the scale.
Now if they only made laser guided bullets for people who drink too much coffee and have chronologically gifted eyesight.
Why do we get the best equipment in our "GoldenYears" when the targets start to get fuzzy?
I definitely have one of these on my radar!
Please let us know the results, so we can all learn.
The OP has disclosed that he used a load well below the published Min for the powder - that alone can cause hangfires and misfires. The idea that "the lighter the load the safer it is" is a fallacy. I'd use a load in the mid-range of published data, not just inch up to the minimum as suggested.
Add to that a fairly light (short) bullet that probably has to travel a fair distance out of the neck before it engages in the rifling and it adds to the likelihood of misfires. I'd first determine if the base of the bullet is even still in the neck when it engages the rifling. If it's not, then that bullet is not a good choice for that chamber. If the bullet is the 150 Gr FMJ-BT, I have them and have found that is one of my Mosins that was exactly the case. I moved to the longer 174 gr bullet and the problem went away.
Add to that a fairly light (short) bullet that probably has to travel a fair distance out of the neck before it engages in the rifling and it adds to the likelihood of misfires. I'd first determine if the base of the bullet is even still in the neck when it engages the rifling. If it's not, then that bullet is not a good choice for that chamber. If the bullet is the 150 Gr FMJ-BT, I have them and have found that is one of my Mosins that was exactly the case. I moved to the longer 174 gr bullet and the problem went away.
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Everything iceman2 posted is correct
I had a similar experience (clumping powder) trying to load .303b with surplus 7.62x39 124grn bullets & powder (24.5 grs) from same bullet
My assumption initially was that The powder had flattened out in the case before firing, resulting in poor ignition and a squib.
With a starting load of 42.4grns I would look elsewhere. Check for Dirty or damp case especially at flash hole
BTW the surplus 7.62x54r ammo I broke down
Bullet 150gr fmj boat tail .310 dia
Powder 47gr
I had a similar experience (clumping powder) trying to load .303b with surplus 7.62x39 124grn bullets & powder (24.5 grs) from same bullet
My assumption initially was that The powder had flattened out in the case before firing, resulting in poor ignition and a squib.
With a starting load of 42.4grns I would look elsewhere. Check for Dirty or damp case especially at flash hole
BTW the surplus 7.62x54r ammo I broke down
Bullet 150gr fmj boat tail .310 dia
Powder 47gr
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Load a half dozen, ten or so rounds with a charge that falls into the range of weight in the load manuals (multiple, it does pay dividends to cross check ALL load data), and see if the problem persists or goes away.
I would casually suggest, based on my reloading experiences, that failure to crimp, has bugger all to do with this. Way too many uncrimped rounds fired out there every year, to make me figure it should be getting any credit. I can think of some specific reasons to crimp, like that you wish to see if it increases or decreases consistency, etc., but won't suggest it as a bogyman. With cast loads, for instance, crimping can keep the bullet from being pushed off the case by the primer before ignition is complete, as an example of why a crimp would be required. Keeping bullets from being pushed back into the case by recoil, is another, as is fine tuning the consistency (which you will only be looking at over a chronograph), as yet another.
You could have a batch of powder that is on it's way out, or simply at an extreme end of the range considered to be "normal", you could have had some contamination issues from your case handling/cleaning/prep or you could have just had another issue as yet undetermined (eg: mechanical).
Honestly, since your 9mm loads all worked perfectly, I would be most inclined to suspect the powder lot, or the primers.
I have taken some primed cases out the back door, in the dark, and fired them off to see the amount of flash they produce. Now, discounting all the physics and chemistry that goes on in a tightly confined space as the flash ignites the propellant (lots of weird things go on as the pressures change rapidly), there is rather less space inside that there cartridge than there is in the cartridge plus the full length of a rifle barrel, and I have yet to see a primer that would not send a flash all the way to the end of the barrel and some. So in general, there is seldom as much difference between types/brands of primers, as there is differences in opinions!
I don't recall any real amount of discussion about Varget being hard to get to light off. You are not trying to light off 80-100+ grains of slow burning powder. You are dealing with essentially dead boring, middle of the road, normal ammo. Nothing special.I like scoops. Used them for a long time, ate a LOT of venison, shot a lot of gophers with scoop loaded ammo, before I ever owned a scale. I own a scale now, but mainly just check my consistency with it, and weigh like every tenth scoop or so, unless I am feeling particularly patient. I don't load hot, simply want cheap ammo that works well enough for my purposes. So far (20+ years in, reloading) it's working for me.
Cheers
Trev
I could see it making a difference in consistency of ignition, but not to the point of causing a failure to light off completely. I can't say never, just that I would look elsewhere first.
Cheers
Trev
I have loaded a light load of ball powder in 223 that would misfire a lot if the bullet is not crimped. Crimping solved the problem.
I subsequently switched to the CCI magnum primer, too.
So when I see a marginal ignition situation like the Op's, I suggest crimping. It helps, but it not usually necessary. In this case, the OP needs all the help he can get for better ignition.
Happened to me with WC735, CCI Mag Primers, 150gr HRN FMJ in the 30'06 when I was working up a load. Enough pop to brown the powder and lightly jam the bullet in the bore.
More powder, or heavier bullets will solve that problem. Crimp might help if you were just on the edge of ignition I think. OP is pretty light with 43gr Varget, I'd bump that to 48 personally.
More powder, or heavier bullets will solve that problem. Crimp might help if you were just on the edge of ignition I think. OP is pretty light with 43gr Varget, I'd bump that to 48 personally.
The best investment I made in over 47 years of reloading was a RCBS Chargemaster for speed and accuracy. No more scoops, thrown charges or straining my bifocals trying to read the pointer on the scale. Just big digital numbers and check weights to verify the scale.
Now if they only made laser guided bullets for people who drink too much coffee and have chronologically gifted eyesight.
Why do we get the best equipment in our "GoldenYears" when the targets start to get fuzzy?
My sentiments exactly!
OK, I can buy that, guys.
I think, unless there is a compelling reason to stick to a light load, that cross checking the data and looking at a way of providing a load that comes in closer to the middle-normal range of the published load data out there, is an easier solution.
When I first started out, I actually went to the trouble of extrapolating the volumes vs. weights for the powders I was using, against the volumes of the scoops I had available (pocket calculator, pencil, too much time on my hands), to see if I could get loads OTHER than the one sized scoop that Lee suggested in their loading info. It gave me some flexibility, and, since I was never approaching anything resembling a max load condition, it worked to try some different powders at the time.
Rapidly gave up on that after discovering how easy it was to lose track of where you were, when trying to deal with two different sized scoops!
Cheers
Trev
I had a problem like yours once. The primer would fire and stick the bullet in the barrel. The primers, CCI, would work with other powder in other cartridges. I bought new primers of some other brand and they worked just fine in the original load.
As near as I can figure, those CCI primers were just not up to lighting that powder. They had been around for a while, storage conditions may not have been ideal.
I would try some new primers and save your CCI primers for a load it will work with. Or just toss them.
As near as I can figure, those CCI primers were just not up to lighting that powder. They had been around for a while, storage conditions may not have been ideal.
I would try some new primers and save your CCI primers for a load it will work with. Or just toss them.
